Krka Cruise To Victory

Edo Muric did it all for Krka, leading the team in points, rebounds and assists

Krka Novo Mesto cruised to an 80-63 victory over Cholet Basket in their Group J opener in the Last 16 of the EuroChallenge.

An 18-0 run that spanned the half-time interval swung the game decisively in the hosts' favour, and their lead reached 24 at one point in the third quarter.

Edo Muric had 14 points, six rebounds and seven assists to lead the hosts, with Luka Lapornik adding 12 points, and Jasmin Hukic and Zvonko Buljan 10 each.

Cholet Basket fought hard in the opening going, and though they fell 18-10 back when Buljan hit a lay-up late in the first quarter, they responded with 12 straight points to lead by four on a three-pointer from Terrell Stoglin three minutes into the second quarter.

However, Krka had an answer of their own and it was much more emphatic - going on a 33-5 tear to blow Cholet away.

A three from Muric put them up 38-27 at half-time and it kept coming after the break, with further threes from Lapornik, Muric and Hukic piling on the pain for Cholet.

They stemmed the bleeding late in the third quarter, but, more than 20 points down, any ambitions they had about challenging for a win were gone.